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CI Global Energy Charter

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With over 220 member organisations in 115 countries, we are building a powerful international consumer movement to help protect and empower consumers everywhere.

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Cereal Offences - A wake-up call on the marketing of unhealthy food to children

Cereal Offences - A wake-up call on the marketing of unhealthy food to children

The Junk Food Trap - Marketing unhealthy food to children in Asia Pacific

The Junk Food Trap - Marketing unhealthy food to children in Asia Pacific

Code on Marketing of Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages to Children

Drugs, Doctors and Dinners

Drugs, Doctors and Dinners

Consumers and Competition

Consumers and Competition

From Bean to Cup

Bean to Cup

Branding the Cure

Copyright and Access to Knowledge

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Towards a global energy charter

CI Global Energy Charter Policy makers, civil society organisations and all those concerned with striking the right balance between development and environmental protection are facing an energy dilemma. Whilst the world is rightly concerned about carbon emissions, there are approaching two billion people without access to energy services.

The launch of CI’s Global Energy Charter follows an 18-month consultation period with over 40 consumer organisations from around the world. It is a considered attempt to tackle this crucial issue head on, providing a sustainable energy solution for consumers everywhere.

New CI Director General outlines the challenges facing the global consumer movement

Joost Martens has taken up the post of Consumers International Director General. He joins CI from Oxfam, where he has been Regional Director for Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean for the past eight years. One of Joost first actions as DG has been to post his thoughts on the CI blog:

"Whether it’s food prices or the financial crisis, social responsibility or corporate accountability, consumer rights are at the very heart of the big issues shaping the world’s future".

Have your say: Read Joost's thoughts on the major issues facing CI in full and join the debate on the CI blog .

More sugar than a doughnut, as salty as seawater

Consumers International launches Cereal Offences: A wake-up call on the marketing of unhealthy food to children - a new report based on the results of a global study into breakfast cereals.

The damning findings reveal the unhealthy ingredients in some of the world's most popular children's cereals and the relentless marketing techniques to promote them.

Download the report
Read the press release

Consumer protection must be centre stage in financial crisis

As the world holds its breath and hopes that the financial packages brokered by the leading industrial nations can stave off the worst consequences of a global recession, it is the impact on consumers, rather than business that should take centre stage.

Read the full CI statement on the financial crisis

Have your say : We want to hear your thoughts on the financial crisis. How are consumers affected in your country? What is your government doing to protect consumers? And who is to blame? Share your thoughts on the CI blog .

Empowering consumers

Understanding the impact of our consumption choices is a vital part of securing a safe and sustainable future for all. That is why CI is working towards sustainable consumption (SC) to be part of the curriculum in every classroom.

The importance of education for sustainable consumption will be highlighted as CI member organisations around the world participate in the Global Consumer Action Day on 15 October 2008.

Over the tip... the sorry state of municipal services in Italy

Monza near Milan, Italy - Altroconsumo holds local municipal authorities to account Rotting rubbish, dumped cars and blighted nature reserves...

In this month's member highlight feature, Altroconsumo, the Italian consumer organisation, holds local municipal authorities to account for their sorry record of neglect and decay.

Read more...

See also... Member Highlights

Unhealthy cereals tests increase demands for an end to junk food marketing

Download for free: International Code on Marketing of Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages to Children Consumer organisations in over 30 countries will be publishing national results of a Consumers International study in the coming weeks, revealing the shocking levels of sugar and salt in children's breakfast cereals.

The results provide further evidence to support CI's call to ban the marketing of unhealthy food and drink to children. The demands are set out in our proposed international Code to the World Health Organization.

CI will publish the global findings of the cereal study in October.

Download Code on Marketing of Foods and Non-alcoholic Beverages to Children ;

Raising the consumer voice in the developing world

Bulgarian National Consumer Association field trip to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Developing consumer journalism in West Africa, raising awareness of consumer activism in Indonesia, and using radio to promote consumer rights in the Caribbean... just some of the initiatives happening as part of CI’s media capacity building project.

Caught in the junk food trap

The Junk Food Trap - Marketing unhealthy food to children in Asia Pacific

The Junk Food Trap , a new report by Consumers International, reveals the lengths international brands such as Coca-Cola, Kellogg's, KFC, McDonald's, PepsiCo and Nestlé go to when marketing unhealthy food to children in Asia Pacific.

The report accuses multinational companies of taking advantage of poor regulation at national levels and undermining efforts to curb obesity. South East Asia alone, faces an expected rise of 27.5% between 2005 and 2010 in the percentage of children who are clinically overweight - a faster increase rate than anywhere else in the world.

Download the report...
Read the press release

Check this out before you check in... the real deal on the hotel industry

The real deal on the hotel industry The hotel industry is facing a serious greenwash crisis - many international hotel chains possess some of the weakest environmental and social responsibility reporting records of any consumer industry.

The Real Deal examines the unethical behaviour of the worst offending international hotel chains, and looks at what the industry, as well as consumers, can do to change this.

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Media centre

Latest entries on the CI Blog ...

* The GMO debate - battle lines thicken

* Working towards a global energy charter

Find out what's new and happening in the global consumer movement - the action, ideas and events... Visit the CI blog at www.consumersinternational.blogspot.com and have your say!

Audio | Video | In the news | Press releases

Member news

United Kingdom
New consumer organisation Consumer Focus is created from the merger of two former CI member organisations.

France
UFC Que Choisir highlights the alarming link between hospital admissions and prescription drugs.

Global Consumer Action Day
Forty five member organisations highlight the importance of Education for Sustainable Consumption (ESC).

Malaysia
CAP writes to the editor of the New Straits Times calling for drastic steps to halt the diabetes trend in Malaysia.

Spain
CECU takes part in European Mobility week - the most widespread event on sustainable mobility.

Biosafety project workshop
First regional campaigning and advocacy training workshop takes place in Nairobi, Kenya.

Tajikistan
CUT launches new energy advice centres for consumers.

Hungary
István Garai, President of the National Association for Consumer Protection in Hungary (NACPH), has passed away.

United Kingdom
NCC examines whether consumers are being adequately informed at fast food restaurants.

Cameroon
RACE expresses outrage over the runaway rise in the price of electricity

France
CLCV expands its online services with microsites on going green, food and nutrition, and using energy responsibly.

CI list serve
CI launches new list serve on education for sustainable consumption for members.

Spain
FACUA develop their online presence with a new English-version website.

South Africa
NCF urges the government to act as consumers are left at the mercy of rising food prices.

Dominican Republic
FUNDECOM express their concerns about the continuing food and fuel price increases.

Yemen
Yemen Society of Consumer Protection holds symposium with focus on production of children's food and other food-related consumer concerns.

Hungary
NACHP holds quiz on consumer rights issues in Budapest.

Spain
CECU hosts seventh Ibero-American Meeting of Consumer Organisations with the focus on climate change and corporate social responsibility.

Portugal
DECO launches new sustainable consumption campaign with carbon brigades to encourage consumers to save energy.

Mali
REDECOMA calls for an extension of the food import tax exemption to include other staple foods such as milk, oil, sugar and flour.

Spain
CECU and its Play Fair 2008 coalition partners reveal plight of workers in Chinese sportswear industry in a recently published report.

Belarus
The Belarusian Society of Consumers Protection express concern over the new draft of the Consumers Rights Protection Law.

Italy
Altroconsumo examines the potential benefits of buying locally produced food.

Peru
ASPEC intervenes to prevent the sale of unsafe balloons.

Gabon
A civil society coalition including SOS Consommateurs calls for government intervention to tackle the spiralling cost of goods and services.

Biosafety workshop
Biosafety project partners meet in London for capacity building and induction workshop.

WCRD 2008
Member news from around the world about their World Consumer Rights Day activities.

Spain
CECU organises project workshop on promoting the rational use of energy in buildings and small-scale renewable source applications.

South Africa
NCF reports that efforts to inform and empower South African consumers are gaining momentum despite tough times.

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